The Arsenal Files 6/The Arsenal Files 6 (Arsenal Computer).ISO/spitfire/kilbak11.zip/KILLBAK.DOC

Text File | 1996-01-18 | 6KB | 119 lines

             KillBAK - A Freeware Spitfire Bulletin Board Utility
                                  v1.1
                       (c) 1996 by Robert G. Schiele
                         May be districuted freely!


What It Does:
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        KillBAK is designed to do one thing, and one thing only: that is,
to delete any SFFILES.ORG, SFFILES.OLD, or SFFILES.BAK files from your
Spitfire upload and download directories. Period. If it's setup correctly,
it'll do that so fast that you won't even believe it.

How It Does It:
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        To run KillBAK, put the KILLBAK.COM file anywhere you want. You
must also create a .cfg file (or modify the sample one from my own board
that I provided). Run KillBAK by either changing to the directory it's
located in and typing "killbak killbak.cfg", or, if you'd rather not switch
to that directory for some reason, type "killbak drive:\path\killbak.cfg"
so it can find it's configuration file. Note that the .cfg file can
actually be named anything you like (you could have several different ones
if you wanted to), so long as you specify it's name (or full path and name
if it's not in the same directory, or if the directory the .COM file isn't
your current directory) when you run the program. If you make an error on
the command line somewhere, you'll see a help screen instead of the
program's running as it should.

The Configuration File:
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        It's real simple: just make a plain ASCII text file (called
whatever you like) with all the directories you want checked for the
SFFILES.ORG or SFFILES.BAK files. That's all. It's important to remember
that you never include the trailing backslash on the directory (e.g.
c:\sf\files\misc is fine but c:\sf\files\misc\ isn't) UNLESS for some
reason you want it to check the root directory of a drive. Why anybody
would have any SFFILES.OLD, SFFILES.BAK or SFFILES.ORG in the root
directory of a drive, I can't imagine, but if you do, add that as c:\ or
d:\ or whatever. Get the idea? Last important note: make sure that there's
no blank line at the end of your configuration file. End it with the last
directory you want checked. If you don't, KillBAK may show you an error
when it's complete, although nothing will be harmed.

Why All Of This?
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        I love Spitfire Bulletin Boards. I've been running one myself, off
and on, for more than two years. Mike Woltz is to be commended for
programming such a fine piece of software. All of his utility programs are
outstanding, also. But there are utilities out there which, for safety's
sake, make backup copies of certain important files when they run, such as
when the re-write or modify the SFFILES.BBS files. When that happens,
you'll get SFFILES.BAK, SFFILES.OLD, or sometimes SFFILES.ORG in your file
directories. That's okay too, but other utilities that automatically add
files found in those directories to your SFFILES.BBS file will find the
.BAK and .ORG files too, and ask if you want them added as well. This can
sometimes bring the automatic addition of files to a grinding halt, leaving
you to answer yes or no. Hence, KillBAK.

        Why make me create what might be a BIG configuration file instead
of just reading the SFFAREA.DAT file, you might ask? Two reasons: first,
I'm not all that proficient yet at dealing with files that are saved in
binary format as SFFAREA.DAT is; second, because of the first issue, I
decided it was much safer to leave your SFFAREA.DAT (and mine!) alone. I
know that creating the configuration file may be a pain in the
you-know-where, but then, you'll only have to do it once. After that, you
can quickly modify it when you add or remove file areas.

Licensing Information:
─────────────────────

        KillBAK is provided as freeware. That means, you don't owe me (or
anybody else!) any money for using it. You're automatically licensed to run
KillBAK on as many computers as you want, for as long as you want, free of
charge.

Disclaimer:
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        I find KillBAK very useful in running my Spitfire Bulletin Board.
It works very well for me, but I make no representations or claims whatever
about how useful you may find it, or even whether it'll work for you.
Installed as directed, I believe that it will. But if you run KillBAK, you
do so entirely at your own risk.

Support:
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        Should you have questions or comments about KillBAK, you can send
me Internet email at: <[e-mail]> or snail mail at:

                        Robert G. Schiele
                        927 N. Pennsylvania St.
                        Indianapolis, IN., 46204

Or you can call my BBS, The Programmer's Corner, at [phone] from
3:00 P.M. (E.S.T.) until 12:00 Midnight (E.S.T.) daily. If I ever update
the program, you'll always find the latest version there.

Credits:
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        KillBAK was written in Microsoft's QuickBASIC 4.5, then compiled
and linked using Ethan Winer's PDQ library. Some of the routines from Garry
Spencer's GPS library, generously provided as freeware, were also used.
And, of course, all the credit in the world goes to Mike Woltz of Buffalo
Creek Software for writing Spitfire in the first place. I've run several
registered versions of other BBS software over the past two years, but I
keep coming back to Spitfire, because it's the best, the people who write
and support it are the best, and the people who run it are the best too!

"Spitfire" is (c) Mike Woltz and Buffalo Creek Software
"QuickBASIC 4.5" is (c) Microsoft Corporation
"PDQ" is (c) Ethan Winer and Full Moon Software